Building a better cantrip

[JamesTheDonkey]

Hi. My friend and I were in a theory-crafting discussion and trying to figure out how to make the best damage cantrip at level 1. We are assuming you cannot use a level 1 spell reduced 2 times, because of the PFS campaign clarification on Wayang Spellhunter not permitting a spell level to be decreased below minimum.

This is what we have so far:

Level 1 Ice Flinger
Human Cross-blooded Sorcerer 1
Bloodlines: White Dragon, Orc
Feats: False Focus, Flagbearer (Could be point blank shot, but this is more helpful to others)
Traits: Reactionary, Havoc of the Society

Attack: Ray of Frost +4 (3 dex, 1 morale) 2d3+7 (1d3+4 Cold, 1d3+2 piercing, 1 force)

Items: Divine Focus Tattoo (100g), Flag (10g), Harimaki (8g)

Ray of frost is modified by Black Powder (+1 Elemental Damage) and Liquid Ice (+1d3 piercing damage and +1 cold damage) as material components via False Focus, Havoc of the Society (+1 force damage), Orc Bloodline (+1 damage per die), Dragon Bloodline: White (+1 damage per die on Cold spells), and Flagbearer (+1 to hit and damage within 30 feet of the flag)

Did I miss anything? 2d3+7 at ranged touch seems fine for a level 1 cantrip.

EDIT: My math was wrong and I had an extra +1 on the Piercing damage.

[Wheldrake]

Several problems.

- False focus allows "a material component" to be bypassed. You're trying to use it for multiple material components *and* focus components.

- False focus is intended to bypass material components intrinsic with the spell itself. Ray of Frost has no material components. Only a very very liberal interpretation of False Focus would allow you to use it for an alchemical power component, which is not specified in the description of False Focus.

- False focus makes no mention of replacing focus components. Hence it shouldn't allow you to bypass this restriction.

- You haven't got enough hands. Each additional focus or material component is going to require you to have the item in hand. No sane DM will allow you to have all that stuff in your remaining hand, and False Focus will give you at the very most one item, not multiple items.

- Havoc of the Society is a very specific trait, requiring you to be a member of a specific society. Are you sure your DM is OK with this?

- Flagbearer gives you a +1 on weapon damage rolls. Casting a spell can hardly be considered a weapon damage roll, even if it is a ray attack.

- I don't see how the trait Reactionary plays into this, as it only grants an initiative bonus.

So, sure, it's up to your DM, but most rational DMs will not grant you the use of alchemical power components with False Focus. Best I see is 1d3+2 for the twin bloodlines, plus a little bit if you actually break down and buy one of the various alchemical power components, rather than trying to cheese into them using False Focus.

YMMV.

[Wheldrake]

Also, on closer reading, when using Liquid Ice as a material component (which is thus expended, costing you 40gp) you do not *add* 1d3 damage. You change the 1d3 cold damage of Ray of Frost into 1d3 piercing damage and +1 cold damage. That's not in addition to the base 1d3 cold damage, but in place of it.

[JamesTheDonkey]

Thanks for the feedback. This is why I posted this. I was once told that opinions are like Pokemon. If you don't send them out to battle, they will never grow and evolve.

-False Focus specifically references multiple material components in its own example, so there shouldn't be an issue replacing multiple. Furthermore, alchemical power components are material components based on their own description, so they should be replaceable.

-I am only using the Liquid Ice for its material component benefit, so I have no focus components to be replaced.

-I have 1 hand for somatic components and 1 hand to hold a flag. Everything else is replaced with the tattoo.

-Since this was designed for potentially a PFS character, the society is the Pathfinder Society. Losing the 1 force damage in a home campaign is acceptable losses.

-I am unsure exactly where the line is drawn with weapon damage rolls and weapon-like spells. So if Flagbearer doesn't work, use Point-blank Shot instead.

-Reactionary is listed because it is my current second trait. I just had it there in case there someone could find a way to replace it for more damage.

-The problem with the replacement effect of the icicle in the liquid ice effect is that it doesn't say it replaces it. It doesn't say it adds it. Since the component could augment or alter the spell, it could be either. But it doesn't say which. The rest of the alterations use replacement works like "instead" or "in place of". Since this is for PFS, ideally, what it appears like it should mean is irrelevant. I want to know which it is. I am aware that the PFS rule is "Prepare for the worse case" but it would be nice to have some input.

I am also not trying to cheese things into other things. I am trying to combine effects for synergy. One says they are material components. One replaces material components. Seems pretty basic.